progression for teaching NEW kids?

[Carsonsig]

Hey all!

I have been lurking for a bit, use softball excellence, and love the site...

Is there a book, or web site, that discusses a progression of teaching a NEW hitter, whether they are 6 or 11? I am going to have to teach younger DD pretty soon... and would love to know how to teach a noob without starting with all the BS cliches you hear now, squish the bug, flat swing, throw the hands and all..

 

[Eric F]

Safety tip: If you hear someone telling your DD to "squish the bug" or "swing flat", grab your DD and get her away from there ASAP.

These two cues are rampant in the softball world, particularly for young players. A LOT of parents come to this site asking for help with their DDs swings, and more often than not, flat swings and/or bug squishing are major flaws (my 9yo DD is trying to recover from the flat swing taught by her first coaches, before I knew better).

The single best thing you can do is to educate yourself on what's involved in a good swing. Become a student so you can better guide your DD.

 

[straightleg]

Right view pro Instructional tape and or Crystal Bustos videos

I use information from both



Straightleg

 

[Carsonsig]

Safety tip: If you hear someone telling your DD to "squish the bug" or "swing flat", grab your DD and get her away from there ASAP.

These two cues are rampant in the softball world, particularly for young players. A LOT of parents come to this site asking for help with their DDs swings, and more often than not, flat swings and/or bug squishing are major flaws (my 9yo DD is trying to recover from the flat swing taught by her first coaches, before I knew better).

The single best thing you can do is to educate yourself on what's involved in a good swing. Become a student so you can better guide your DD.

ha! No joke.. that is why I am trying to get ahead of it! Thanks Straightleg!

 

[mann]

I was asked to work with a young team this year, it was 10u, and some ball players I know were coaching the team.

they said can you show them how to use their hips? or whatever you teach the older kids?

No, but.... what I will teach them today is ATTITUDE!

so one by one, I put them through my program of developing a hitters ATTITUDE.

I put a plate in front of them, and use one of the other girls, or moms, or dads, to softly throw front toss.

I tell them, this area( over plate) IS YOUR HOUSE. that person (with ball), is trying to throw the ball, through YOUR WINDOW, into YOUR HOUSE. DO NOT LET THEM< THIS IS YOUR HOUSE. I ask them to go ahead and say it "this is MY house". They Hit the plate with their bat, they get aggressive very quick.
They will become very possessive. its now THEIR HOUSE. I tell them, that girl, she does not care its your house , she is going to try to throw the ball through YOUR window, WHEN SHE DOES, you use THIS BAT, AND YOU WALLOP THAT BALL BACK AT HER < AND TELL HER, NOT IN MY HOUSE.

I say to them, you do not care, if she throws the ball over your roof, or under your house, or beside your house, but if she TRYS, to throw the ball through YOUR WINDOW, WACK IT BACK AT HER.

Parents for weeks after, say what did you do to my kid, my sweet girl walks around saying" NOT IN MY HOUSE" ..with an attitude.

they won their game the next day, hit the snot out of the ball, and every time they made contact, they yelled "NOT IN MY HOUSE".

of course you show them small things, grip, bat position, and I teach stride into the ball, at first, the rest, is ATTITUDE.

 

[rdbass]

I was asked to work with a young team this year, it was 10u, and some ball players I know were coaching the team.

they said can you show them how to use their hips? or whatever you teach the older kids?

No, but.... what I will teach them today is ATTITUDE!

so one by one, I put them through my program of developing a hitters ATTITUDE.

I put a plate in front of them, and use one of the other girls, or moms, or dads, to softly throw front toss.

I tell them, this area( over plate) IS YOUR HOUSE. that person (with ball), is trying to throw the ball, through YOUR WINDOW, into YOUR HOUSE. DO NOT LET THEM< THIS IS YOUR HOUSE. I ask them to go ahead and say it "this is MY house". They Hit the plate with their bat, they get aggressive very quick.
They will become very possessive. its now THEIR HOUSE. I tell them, that girl, she does not care its your house , she is going to try to throw the ball through YOUR window, WHEN SHE DOES, you use THIS BAT, AND YOU WALLOP THAT BALL BACK AT HER < AND TELL HER, NOT IN MY HOUSE.

I say to them, you do not care, if she throws the ball over your roof, or under your house, or beside your house, but if she TRYS, to throw the ball through YOUR WINDOW, WACK IT BACK AT HER.

Parents for weeks after, say what did you do to my kid, my sweet girl walks around saying" NOT IN MY HOUSE" ..with an attitude.

they won their game the next day, hit the snot out of the ball, and every time they made contact, they yelled "NOT IN MY HOUSE".

of course you show them small things, grip, bat position, and I teach stride into the ball, at first, the rest, is ATTITUDE.

NOT IN MY HOUSE

 

[GatorGirl]

Love it Mann!

 

[Carsonsig]

I like that, get them swinging for that ball!

 

[Cobb_of_Fury]

I was asked to work with a young team this year, it was 10u, and some ball players I know were coaching the team.

they said can you show them how to use their hips? or whatever you teach the older kids?

No, but.... what I will teach them today is ATTITUDE!


so one by one, I put them through my program of developing a hitters ATTITUDE.

I put a plate in front of them, and use one of the other girls, or moms, or dads, to softly throw front toss.

I tell them, this area( over plate) IS YOUR HOUSE. that person (with ball), is trying to throw the ball, through YOUR WINDOW, into YOUR HOUSE. DO NOT LET THEM< THIS IS YOUR HOUSE. I ask them to go ahead and say it "this is MY house". They Hit the plate with their bat, they get aggressive very quick.
They will become very possessive. its now THEIR HOUSE. I tell them, that girl, she does not care its your house , she is going to try to throw the ball through YOUR window, WHEN SHE DOES, you use THIS BAT, AND YOU WALLOP THAT BALL BACK AT HER < AND TELL HER, NOT IN MY HOUSE.

I say to them, you do not care, if she throws the ball over your roof, or under your house, or beside your house, but if she TRYS, to throw the ball through YOUR WINDOW, WACK IT BACK AT HER.

Parents for weeks after, say what did you do to my kid, my sweet girl walks around saying" NOT IN MY HOUSE" ..with an attitude.

they won their game the next day, hit the snot out of the ball, and every time they made contact, they yelled "NOT IN MY HOUSE".

of course you show them small things, grip, bat position, and I teach stride into the ball, at first, the rest, is ATTITUDE.

I LOVE YOU MANN!!! this has to be the First Step!!! Own the plate!

 

[GatorGirl]

I purchased this a while back and just started watching it today based on your questions. It is quite old, but has "progression" written all over it. Very useful so far. Mom, Can you teach me how to hit--Bobby Woods